Roman Bridge, Strathclyde Park

The first thing to say about Roman Bridge is that it ain’t Roman. It’s probably a medieval packhorse bridge, although there may have been older crossings over the South Calder Water at the same spot.

To be fair, the Roman connection isn’t far away, so the name isn’t that surprising. Bothwellhaugh Fort sits right on the top of the hill above the bridge, although it’s almost impossible to see now, and the associated bath-house was moved up the slope when Strathclyde Loch was created. Parts of the road that lead from the bridge to the fort are marked as Roman road on old maps.

According to Scotland’s Places, various specialists have dated the bridge to anywhere from medieval times to the 18th century. The most up-to-date suggestion is that it is medieval, but that it was restored by the Hamiltons in the late 17th century.